MOSTLY CLOUDY TODAY....HIGH OF 71.

THE MAQUOKETA POLICE OFFICERS AND DISPATCHERS ARE ASKING FOR A 4.5%
WAGE INCREASE FOR NEXT YEAR.        THE ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THEIR
UNION WENT OVER THE REQUESTS TUESDAY AFTERNOON  AND THE CITY
IS EXPECTED TO GIVE ITS RESPONSE OCTOBER 5TH OR 6TH.

THE HOSPITAL HAS CLOSED ITS LONG-TERM CARE UNIT TO SAVE MONEY.
THE  VERY NICE BUILDING WITH THE ATTRACTIVE ENTRANCE IS ONLY ABOUT
6 OR 7 YEARS OLD.     THIS PAST TUESDAY, THE BOARD HEARD FROM
THEIR ARCHITECT WHO PROVIDED A LAY-OUT OF  HOW THAT BUILDING WILL
NOW BE USED.    MOVING INTO THE BUILDING:     PHYSICAL THERAPY....CARDIAC
REHAB....AND THE FITNESS CENTER, ALL CURRENTLY IN AN OLD PART OF THE
HOSPITAL.       THE ARCHITECT SAID THEY WILL EASILY BE ABLE TO RE-UTILIZE
THE SPACE AND NOT HAVE TO CHANGE A WHOLE LOT.    ESTIMATED COST,
AROUND $250,000.     PHASE FIVE OF THE CURRENT HOSPITAL PLAN CALLS FOR
RENOVATING OTHER SPACE IN THE  HOSPITAL FOR THE SAME THREE
DEPARTMENTS, AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $3 MILLION.      SO, THE BOARD
WILL BE ABLE TO DO THIS MAJOR IMPROVEMENT AT THE HOSPITAL AT  A
HUGE SAVINGS.    PATIENTS WILL ENTER  AT THE CURRENT LOCATION WHERE THERE IS THE VESTIBULE AND THERE WILL BE  A RECEPTION AREA FOR ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS.       CEO CURT COLEMAN SAID SPACE CONSTRAINTS  FOR
PHYSICAL THERAPY WILL BE ELIMINATED BY THE LARGER SPACE IN THE
LONG-TERM CARE BUILDING.     THE COURTYARD NEXT TO THE BUILDING
WILL BE USED FOR OUTDOOR PHYSICAL THERAPY SESSIONS.       PLANS CALL FOR THE PROJECT TO BE BID IN LATE OCTOBER AND COMPLED BY MARCH  OF NEXT  YEAR.       COLEMAN SAID THIS NEW PLAN FOR THE LONG-TERM CARE BUILDING
ALLOWS THE HOSPITAL TO TAKE A DEPARTMENT WHICH WAS NOT RECEIVING
COST BASED REIMBURSEMENTS FROM MEDICARE INTO A FACILITY WHICH WILL SEE
MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENTS.     WHEN THE THREE DEPARTMENTS MOVE INTO THE NEW AREA, WHAT WILL GO INTO THEIR SPACE?     IT WILL BE USED FOR MEDICAL
RECORDS, HUMAN RESOURCES AND STORAGE.

THE DIALYSIS DEPARTMENT STAYS....THE  LONG-TERM CARE UNIT WILL BE
USED TO IMPROVE THREE DEPARTMENTS.....AND THE MEALS ON
WHEELS PROGRAM WILL NOT STOP IN MAQUOKETA.     BY GOSH, MAYBE THIS
SUMMER'S  DISAPPOINTED  CITIZENS OF MAQUOKETA  WILL START TO LIKE
THEIR HOSPITAL BOARD AND CEO ONCE AGAIN.

AND...WHO KNOWS....MAYBE THE BURNED OUT AREA OF DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA WILL TURN  OUT TO BE SOMETHING GOOD SOMEDAY TOO.

THIS WILL BE A BIG, HAPPY.....LOCAL AND NATIONAL.....CARDINAL WEEK.     THE CARDINALS OF MAQUOKETA WILL WIN THEIR HOMECOMING GAME AND THE
CARDINALS OF ST. LOUIS WILL WIN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL CROWN.

GOOD NIGHT....GOOD FRIDAY.

DENNIS VOY.